Its a good time to start

[Josh45]

I have to agree that the Lee Scale is not something I want. I have it and I hated it. I upgraded to a RCBS 5-0-5 scale and am very happy with it. The Lee one works but it is such a pain to use and is not beginner friendly. You dont need this one I can tell you that much.

The powder measure isn't to bad but it could be better. I prefer the stand alone unit over the auto-disk.

As for dies, well, I only have experience with the Lee carbide 4 die set and I like them. They work with no issues. Just set em up and your good to go. I have a set of RCBS dies for my fathers 30-30 tho and I like them a bit better.

Kits are good but you will end up replacing some other parts and sometimes t is better to get parts by pieces. I highly recommend a dial/ digital caliper to measure your rounds.

Also, Get reloading manuals first BEFORE ANYTHING. lyman 49th, Hornady 8th, Speer 14th ETC....There all current and very good manuals. After you have seen what is available to you in your calibers, Then you can check about powders and primers.

A bullet puller. Get one. you will need it eventually.
As for gauging the loaded rounds, Use your barrel. It is the best gauge you will have.

[Don P]

The Lee one works but it is such a pain to use and is not beginner friendly. You dont need this one I can tell you that much.

All I will add to the thread is this, if one can use/read a vernier caliper they should be able to use/read the Lee scale. So not being beginner friendly, naw don't buy it.

[taylorce1]

taylorce1,
I'm just curious what you didn't like about the Lee classic turret that you thought was better on the Lyman turret, I have never used the Lyman.

I simply liked the T-Mag better because it is more open than the Lee presses. I reload long cartridges based off the H&H case and the presses like the T-Mag allow me to fit them in there better. I see that the OP uses mainly pistol cartridges and the Lee might just suit him fine.

Auto indexing was never a make or brake feature for me because even if I throw my charges, I still weigh each one. Plus since I mainly reload rifle cartridges I need to check case length and might have to trim. Nor were cheap tool heads, as I removed and cleaned my dies and boxed them up. The Forester style lock rings as mentioned earlier makes it easy to remove dies and set them back up in the tool head.

I've long since moved and had to downgrade the size of my reloading operations. I've sold off all off my turrent press and now just use my Rockchucker and Lee single stage presses now. While the turrent was nice, it didn't speed up the reloading process a whole lot.

[snuffy]

The Hornady equipment is more expensive but again IMO you get much better powder equipment. Plus a free 500 bullets will help offset the extra costs. IMO again I think the OP would be better off purchasing used equipment off of people who are looking to get out or upgrade their equipment. Stuff like the Lee powder dipper kit, a used powder trickler, and a used RCBS 5-0-5 scale than trying to use the the junk powder equipment in the Lee kit.

Yeah, and when/after you've shot those 500 bullets, you're stuck with their press. As for their lock & load bushings, they're a joke. No way to hold onto them while setting up dies.

When I upgraded my reloading equipment, I bought the RCBS Single Stage Master Kit. IMO it is far superior in every way than the Lee single stage kits and worth the extra money. Again it is just "My Opinion" but I feel the T-Mag press is far superior to the Lee turret presses. I'm considering going to a progressive and I'll either buy the Hornady or the Dillon 550 as I feel they are better for my dollar than the Lee progressive presses.

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/p...c_RPK_Tmag.php

At nearly 3 times the cost of a lee classic turret, the Lyman tmag 11 should be 3 times stronger. IT'S NOT. In fact it isn't even AS strong. The very basic flaw is that it's a "C" type press. No C type press is as strong as an "O" type press. They claim to have conquered the slop built into a top turret, being able to turn the turret without having to loosen the center bolt/nut. Then, they have a 6" rod to turn the turret, the lee turns as the ram lowers.

The lee classic turret is a modified "O" type press. The turret is SURROUNDED by a steel ring. and supported by 3 heavy posts. Production of over 200 rounds an hour as simple with the lee classic. No way that could happen with a Lyman without being in a huge hurry.

As for that cheap plastic powder measure, bench rest shooters use it because it's the best at measuring stick type powders. The lee auto disc measure is also a great invention. Some even use them on progressives instead of a much more expensive measure sold by dillon or Hornady.

What you ought to know! What you ought to know is which spelling of the same sounding word there, their, or they're to use and when.

[taylorce1]

At nearly 3 times the cost of a lee classic turret, the Lyman tmag 11 should be 3 times stronger.

Snuffy, I don't know where you shop but the Lyman T-Mag II press runs about $160. The Lee auto indexing turret press runs about $80 so only two times the money on average. If you look around and find either used sometimes you can come up with one heck of a deal on either. I used the T-Mag and "C" press or not it worked perfectly for me for nearly five years before I sold it.

The Auto Disk measure might be good but I used the Perfect Powder measure and found it to be a large POS. You're entitled to your opinion, and I mine. 9 times out of 10 I'll still choose RCBS or Hornady over Lee for most of my reloading needs.

[dickttx]

"I've used Lee powder measures and scales and find them to be junk."

Yep, pretty bad.
Went down to reload some 9mm this afternoon. Seldom do it, but had left HP38 in the powder measure yesterday evening because I had just refilled my 1# jar from an 8# jug and couldn't get what was in my measure into the jar.
I checked the level on my scale and set it to 4.5gn. Sized, primed, and dropped a powder charge from the hopper that had been sitting overnight. Exactly 4.5gn. Also weighed #2, #3, #10, #20, #40, #60, #80, and #100.
All were exactly 4.5gn, from the #43 disk.
Unscrewed the powder measure from the 9mm turret, screwed it in the .45 ACP turret, changed to disk #49 (original powder from yesterday still in the hopper), sized and primed a .45 case, dropped the powder charge and it weighed 5.0gn. Exactly what it always does with disk #49.
Can't figure out why that cheap piece of junk won't not work!

Couldn't get it to not work again today. Loaded 100 45 ACP. #1, #2, #3, #10, #20, #40, #60, #80, #100 were all spot on 5.0gn from the #49 disk.
Changed to different PAD (the one I use Unique in) installed in .41 Mag. with #102 disk. 8.0gn Unique 50 out of 50.